Buddy Thomas: Penn State football should not be penalized

Count me among the legions who continue to call for the head of former Penn State assistant coach and child molester Jerry Sandusky. And I have no issues with those calling for the removal of the statue dedicated to long-time legendary head coach Joe Paterno that presently sits outside the football stadium in not-so Happy Valley.

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By BUDDY THOMAS

southcoasttoday.com

By BUDDY THOMAS

Posted Jul. 19, 2012 at 12:01 AM

By BUDDY THOMAS
Posted Jul. 19, 2012 at 12:01 AM

» Social News

Count me among the legions who continue to call for the head of former Penn State assistant coach and child molester Jerry Sandusky. And I have no issues with those calling for the removal of the statue dedicated to long-time legendary head coach Joe Paterno that presently sits outside the football stadium in not-so Happy Valley.

My problem is with those who continue to urge the NCAA to slap the so-called "death penalty" on the Penn State football team. What did the football team do to receive any kind of penalty, let alone a death sentence? Since when is guilt by association a crime?

The NCAA has imposed the so-called "death penalty" just five times — the first to the University of Kentucky prior to the 1952-53 basketball season; the most recent to the MacMurray College men's tennis program in 2005. Kentucky's entire athletics program was suspended for one year when several men's basketball players received "impermissible financial aid" and the MacMurray men's tennis program was suspended for two years because the head coach established a scholarship fund which was not permitted at the Division III level. Neither offense ranks close to what happened at Penn State, but both were violations that directly involved teams and/or individual players from the respective schools.

Southwestern Louisiana received the death penalty for payments to men's basketball players and "academic impropriety" which cost the school a two-year penalty from 1973-75 and, in 1987, Southern Methodist University's football program was banned for repeated violations and a history of sanctions dating back to the 1950s.

The only other school to receive the "death penalty" was Morehouse College after the Division II school allowed professional players to play for the men's soccer team. The school dropped the program and the NCAA extended the punishment an additional two years, from 2003-06.

Sandusky committed crimes against society and will, in all likelihood, spend the rest of his life in prison. Paterno, who had already stepped aside as head coach, is dead and his reputation will be forever tarnished for his part in the alleged coverup of his long-time friend and assistant coach.

But what crime has the football team committed? What NCAA rules have the players violated?

If a demented car salesman drives his company vehicle into a crowd of innocent by-standers, should all the cars at his place of employment be banned for his indiscretion? The perpetrator (Sandusky) at Penn State has been found guilty and the investigation of those involved in the alleged coverup is ongoing and will likely continue until justice is served. And, when that time comes, Penn State — the university — will be forced to pay a heavy financial fee to however many victims of Sandusky come forward.